Exit polls in Greek election project landslide win for conservative New Democracy party

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Conservative New Democracy Party Set to Win Greek Election in Landslide Victory

According to an exit poll, the conservative New Democracy party is poised to achieve a resounding victory in Greece’s second election within five weeks. The poll indicates that the party, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is projected to secure 40-44% of the vote, granting them enough parliamentary seats to form a government for a second consecutive four-year term. Meanwhile, the left-wing Syriza party, Mitsotakis’ main rival, is expected to suffer a devastating defeat with only 16-19% projected support, a decline from their 20% in the previous May election.

Despite the recent tragic shipwreck off Greece’s western coast, where numerous migrants lost their lives, the incident did not significantly impact the election. Voters were primarily focused on domestic economic concerns rather than the migrant crisis. The exit poll forecasts that Mitsotakis’ party will secure a comfortable majority of the 300 seats in Parliament, enabling him to establish a stable government, thanks to changes in the electoral law that grant bonus seats to the winning party. In the previous election conducted in May, despite winning 41% of the vote, the proportional representation system left Mitsotakis five seats short of a majority.

In the midst of these developments, it is essential to note that this is a breaking news update. The earlier story from AP is presented below.

Today, Greeks participated in their second election in less than two months, with the conservative party widely favored to secure a substantial majority. The campaign leading up to this vote has centered around economic growth and security, overshadowed by a recent major shipwreck that claimed the lives of hundreds of migrants off the coast of western Greece. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that the disaster will significantly impact the overall outcome, as Greek voters are expected to prioritize domestic economic issues.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the 55-year-old leader of the New Democracy party, is vying for a second term as prime minister after his party achieved a significant victory in the May elections but fell short of gaining enough parliamentary seats to form a government. With the new electoral law favoring the winning party with bonus seats, Mitsotakis aims to secure a strong majority in the 300-member parliament.

Alexis Tsipras, aged 48, leads the left-wing Syriza party and served as prime minister from 2015 to 2019, during some of Greece’s most tumultuous years amidst a nearly decade-long financial crisis. In the May elections, Tsipras performed poorly, trailing New Democracy by 20 percentage points. Since then, he has been attempting to rally his voter base, despite the challenge posed by splinter parties formed by some former associates.

By 2 p.m., voter turnout had reached slightly over 29%. In the previous election, the final turnout stood at 61.1%.

Tsipras seemingly accepts that his party will be in opposition for the next four years, stating, “This crucial election is not only determining who will govern the country, it is determining our lives for the next four years, it is determining the quality of our democracy… This role can only be played by Syriza.”

The recent shipwreck tragedy, one of the worst in the Mediterranean in recent times, has not significantly affected Mitsotakis’ lead of 20 points over Tsipras in opinion polls. Voters prioritize the economy, and as Greece gradually recovers from the severe financial crisis, they seem inclined to support a prime minister who has delivered economic growth and reduced unemployment.

Mitsotakis, a Harvard graduate hailing from one of Greece’s most influential political families, aims to rebrand Greece as a pro-business and fiscally responsible member of the eurozone. His strategy has proven successful so far, as New Democracy decisively defeated left-wing opponents in May, even securing traditionally Socialist strongholds on Crete and lower-income areas surrounding Athens for the first time.

After casting his vote in northern Athens, Mitsotakis expressed confidence in the electorate’s ability to make informed choices: “We are voting so people can have a stable government for the next four years… I am sure that Greeks will vote with maturity for their personal prosperity and the country’s stability.”

Tsipras, trailing in opinion polls and faced with his disappointing performance in the May election, finds himself fighting for his political survival. His previous campaign was criticized for its excessive negativity, focusing heavily on scandals involving the Mitsotakis government towards the end of its term. Despite these scandals, including wiretapping revelations targeting senior politicians and journalists, as well as a deadly train crash highlighting inadequate safety measures, Tsipras failed to make significant gains against Mitsotakis.

The ability of the conservative leader to form a government, as well as the strength of that government, may depend on how many parties surpass the 3% threshold required to enter parliament. As many as nine parties have a realistic chance of doing so, ranging from ultra-religious groups to two left-wing splinter parties formed by former top members of the Syriza government.

In the previous election held under a proportional representation system, Mitsotakis’ party fell five seats short, prompting him to opt for a second election instead of attempting to form a coalition government.

Today’s vote operates under an electoral system that awards a bonus of 25 to 50 seats to the winning party, based on its performance. This system facilitates the winning party’s ability to secure more than the required 151 seats in the 300-member parliament and form a government.

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This report includes contributions from Big Big News journalists Theodora Tongas, Derek Gatopoulos, and Demetris Nellas.

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